PHOENIX—Manny Corpas, the heart of the Colorado Rockies’ reliable bullpen, finally faltered.
The Rockies didn’t pay for it with their first road loss in a month, however, because Arizona closer Jose Valverde was wild in the 11th inning and Colorado beat the Diamondbacks 3-2 on Friday night, its 19th win in 20 games.
“A win’s a win, I’m happy,” said Corpas, who allowed the tying run to score in the ninth for just his second blown save since becoming Colorado’s closer in July.
Colorado’s comeback made a winner of Corpas, the star of a bullpen that has allowed just two earned runs in 20 innings this postseason.
The relievers have saved the Rockies, whose big bats have fallen silent in the playoffs, with Matt Holliday, Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins and Troy Tulowitzki hitting a combined 15-for-82.
“This has been all about pitching,” center fielder Willy Taveras said. “Holliday and Helton, they’re trying. I’m sure those guys are going to get hot.”
Corpas, who had saved 23 of 24 games since taking over as closer from Brian Fuentes in mid-July, failed to hold a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning Friday night, giving Arizona some hope to even the NL championship series.
Valverde lost his control in the 11th, walking Taveras on four pitches with the bases loaded to give the Rockies the lead.
Ryan Speier did what Corpas usually does—he worked a perfect inning for his first major league save. He saved it for Corpas (1-0).
Colorado has not lost a road game since Sept. 13 at Philadelphia thanks to stellar defense, timely at-bats and a brilliant bullpen anchored by Corpas, in his first full season in the majors.
Matt Herges, who has resurrected his career in Colorado, LaTroy Hawkins and Fuentes each pitched a scoreless inning in relief of starter Ubaldo Jimenez, but things turned sour with one out in the ninth when Corpas plunked Chris Young with the count 1-2.
Corpas said he held onto a slider for too long.
Stephen Drew singled, putting runners at the corners, and Eric Byrnes hit a slow hopper to second baseman Kaz Matsui, whose toss to second drew shortstop Troy Tulowitzki off the bag, allowing Young to score the tying run.
Drew thought he was out and jogged off only to be tagged out, and Tony Clark grounded into a fielder’s choice, sending the game to extra innings.
Corpas threw a 1-2-3 10th—surely what he and the Rockies expected an inning earlier.
“That was the turning point for me in this game, was he went back out there after blowing that save and got those three outs,” Herges said. “It’s huge. Because that kept a little bit of momentum with us. And then Spy came in and was phenomenal.
“Both he and I were in the minor leagues two months ago and now he’s closing a game out in the NLCS. It’s beautiful. Beautiful.”
Corpas’ blown save as a closer was on Sept. 21, when he allowed a homer to Adrian Gonzalez in San Diego that tied the game before the Rockies rallied for a 2-1 win in 14 innings.
“Here’s the thing,” Herges said. “We had to win 14 of 15 just to get into the playoffs. That was, to be honest with you, more pressure than we’re dealing with now. We had to do it and we did it. So, now everything else is—the last thing I’m going to say is it’s easy—but we’re comfortable.
“It’s not, ‘Oh, no. We’re in the playoffs now.’ It’s, ‘We did it, we’re here, now turn it up a notch.’ You’re not going to see anybody timid up there.”
